Texas Supreme Court Justice Scott Brister plans to join Andrews Kurth LLP.  Brister was appointed in 2003 by Gov. Rick Perry.  He will be a partner in the Austin office and will head the appellate practice. This is Brister’s second time at Andrews.

Source:  www.bizjournals.com

Hunton & Williams has recruited Edward Fernandes from Akin Gump.  Fernades will continue to practice in Austin, but will also work out of the Houston office.  A major aim of his will be to grow Hunton’s litigation office, particularly in the Austin group. Fernades has much experience representing very large companies, such as Ernst & Young and Bank of America.

Source:  www.austin.bizjournals.com

Pirkey Barber LLP has hired Shannon T. Vale. Vale worked with the firm’s co-founders, Lou Pirkey and Bill Barber at Austin firm, Arnold White & Durkee. Pirkey & Barber left in 2006 to start their own firm. Vale has over 25 years of experience in trademark law. Pirkey Barber has also hired Alison Davis Frey, who has over 10 years of trademark experience.

Source:  www.iptoday.com

Steven Tyndall has joined law firm Baker Botts today, January 1, 2009. Tyndall has vast experience in the following: corporate law, sercurities and mergers and acquisitions. He joins Baker’s Austin office from Fish & Richardson, where he was partner.

Source:  www.istockanaylst.com

K&L Gates has announced the addition of attorneys Mary Schaerdel Dietz and Roderick (Rick) B. Williams. Both join the Austin office as partners. Dietz, previously at Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, is a commercial litigator. Williams, formerally with Vinson & Elkins LLP, joins the intellectual property litigation team.

Source:  www.lawfuel.com

Dewey & LeBoeuf has announced its plans to close three US offices in an attempt to boost its major capital markets practice. The Jacksonville office will close at the end of this year in December. The Hartford office is to close in February and the Austin office will be closing in March 2009. All 48 lawyers amongst the three offices are asked to remain with Dewey & LeBouef and relocate to another of its offices.
Source: www.thelawyer.com

Eversheds has announced plans for big changes for its litigation management; they will soon have four department head, instead of the current 10. This strategy will support the overall objective to target commercial clients.
Source: www.thelawyer.com

Tommy Jacks, a top litigator, has moved to the Austin, Texas branch of Fish & Richardson. Jacks, who has previously ran his own practice, joins as a partner.
Source: www.bizjournals.com

The merger between Locke Liddell & Sapp PLLC and Lord Bissell & Brook LLP becomes official as of today. The new firm will be called Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell LLP and has 700 attorneys in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Sacramento and Washington, D.C..